William benjamin smith



(No Model.)

w.. B. MITH,

GRAIN CRADLE.

Patented Ju1y 5, 1887.

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UNITED STATES- PATENT Price.

YVILLIAM BENJAMIN SMITH, OF HOPEVILLE, GEORGIA.

GRAlN CRADLE.

srncrrrcnrron forming part of Letters Patent No. 365,947, dated July 5, 1887.

Application filed October 15, 1886. Serial No. 216,350. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM BENJAMIN SMITH, of Hopeville, in the county of Fulton and State ofGeorgia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain Cradles; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in grain-cradles.

In an application for Letters Patent filed October 23, 1885, Serial No. 180,706, entitled graincradles, a cradle was shown and describedin which metallic fingers were held in position by means of hollow transverse tubes, through which they were made to pass, and were secured to the scythe by means of rods which extended through the tubes. The snath ends of the fingers were secured to an adj ustable plate or bar, by means of which, together with a stay extending from the upper end of the adjustable plate or bar to the snath end of the upper or border rib or finger, the point of the cradle was adjusted.

The object of my present invention is to simplify and lighten the intermediate crossbar and provide for locking the fingers therein in an easy manner.

A further object is to provide an improved stay which shall afford a more complete adjustment of the series of cradlefingers, and which shall at the same time be stiff, light, and inexpensive.

With these ends in view my invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a rear view of a portion of a cradle embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the intermediate cross-bar, and Fig. 3 is a detached View of the stay.

A represents the snath,and B the scythe secured to the lower end of the snath in any well-known or approved manner. Aseries of fingers, 0, preferably formed of wire of suitable size and strength, are heldin proper position to receive the stalks of grain as they are severed by the scythe-by three cross-pieces,

D, E, and F, extending at right angles, or nearly so, to the scythe. The piece D consists, preferably, of a light metallic tube provided with round transverse perforations (I, through which the outer ends of the wire fingers extend, the extreme ends of the fingers being bent overand clinched on the outer side of the tube, as shown at d. A red, G, ,extends longitudinally through the tube D and projects beyond the lower end of the tubes in the form of an eye, 9, through which it is bolted to the scythe, near its point. The upper end of the rod G is preferably threaded and secured to the upper or border finger, H, by means of a nut, g, which forces the border finger H snuglyagainst the end of the tube D, or against an interposed washer, as maybe found desirable. The middle cross-piece, E, consists of a thin metallic bar rolled transversely into a semicircular or U shaped form in cross-section, as plainly shown in Fig. 3. It is provided with round transverse perforations 6 at suitable intervals for the passage of the wire fingers. The portions of the fingers which lie between its sides are bent more or less, as shown at c, to prevent the fingers from slipping longitudinally. The smooth convex side of the piece E is toward the front of the cradle, the open portion being in the back, where itis not liable to become clogged or interfere with the sliding of the straw. The ends of piece E are turned at right angles to the body portion, as shown at g", and perforatedto receive bolts I, by which the piece is secured firmly to the scythe at a point onethird of the distance from its heel to its point, (more or less) and to the border finger H. The construction of the piece E renders it strong and light and affords an easy means of locking the fingers within it, dispensing with the rod shownand described in the former appliea tion.

The piece F is constructed in a manner quite similar to that described in the former application hereinabove referred to, and consists of a thin bar or plate of metal having its edges turned over to give it strength, and provided with a series of perforations, f, for the reception of the snath ends of the fingers. The lower endof the pieceF is secured to the snath, preferably by means of the same bolt which IOO secures the heel of the scythe thereto, and its upper. end is secured in adjustment toward and away from the snath by a perforated plate, K, projecting from the snath.

The border finger H, hereinbefore referred to, is of heavier construction than the fingers O, and is intended to afford them the necessary support and serve as a means of adjusting them at the desired angle to thescythe and snath. It preferably consists of a thin bar of metal having its edges turned down toincrease its strength; but it might be formed of tough wood or of metal having a different shape in cross section than that shown. It extends quite a considerable distance beyond the upper end of the piece E on the snath side, and its projecting end is connected with the plate K on the snath by the brace and stay L.

The brace and stay L consists of a pair of rods diverging from a bolt, M, which conveniently secures their ends to the plate K,'the opposite end of which brace L is an elongated loop, Z, located athwart the upper side of the end of the border finger H. A bolt, m, extends through a perforation near the end of the border finger H and through the loop Z, and a nut, m, on the end of the bolt, serves to lock the end of the border in any desired adjustment throughout thelength of the loop. I

find it preferable to insert a washer, a, between the lower face of the nut and the upper side of theloop to effect a more extended hearing and prevent wear. The perforation in the border finger, through which the bolt an extends, might also be made more or less elon gated, as shown at 0, to enable the loop to be shifted toward and away from the end of the border-finger.

The brace and stay L is preferably formed by providing one end of a rod with an eye to receive the bolt M, and bending the opposite end to form the loop Z, and then providing a second rod with an eye to receive the bolt M, and locking its opposite end to the end of the loop Z.- The said stay and brace might, however, be formed of a single piece having the loop Z formed at one end and the opposite end secured to the end of the10op,the rod being bent near the middle to embrace the bolt M, and the loop might also be formed by weldinga piece to a red at the properpart, the ends or the rod extending from the bolt M, as shown, and other slight changes in its construction might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

The several adjustments secured by the loop Z, elongated slot 0, and the series of perforations in the plate K render it a comparatively simple matter to set the fingers at the proper angle to secure the best results in cradling grain which is heavy or light, lodged, or upright, while the diverging parts of the brace V and stay L render it stifi' with the use of a minimum weight of metal. The shifting of the bolt M from one perforation to another in the plate K will effect a decided change in the hang of the cradle, and the slight variations are accomplished by the shifting of the boltm along the loop Z, or by shifting the loop bodily toward or away from the end of the border-finger, or by both. The stay-rods P, Q, and It extend, respectively, from the bolt M to the upper end of the cross piece E, from the bolt m to a point on the cross-piece E, a short distance above the scythe, and from the bolt at the heel of the scythe to the upper end of the piece E, and serve to thoroughly brace the whole.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a grain-cradle, the combination, with a series of fingers, of an intermediate cross bar or piece through which the fingers extend, said cross bar or piece having its edges turned, giving ita U shape in cross-section, substantially as set forth.

2. Ina grain-cradle, the combination, with the series of fingers, of an intermediate cross bar or piece through which the fingers extend, said cross bar or piece consisting, essentially, of a thin strip or plate of metal havingits edges turned around, giving it a U-shaped crosssection open at the back, substantially as set forth. 1

3. In a grain-cradle, a cross bar or piece adapted to space and support'the fingers, and consisting, essentially, of a thin metallic-plate or strip U-shaped in cross-sestio'n, and having its lower end turned at right angles, or nearly so, for attaching it to the scythe, substantially as set forth.

4.. In a grain-cradle, the combination, with the series of fingers, the snath, the scythe, and the border finger, of the tubular end cross-bar to which the fingers are clinched, the rod extending longitudinally through the tubular cross-bar for the attachment of the scythe and border finger, the semi-tubular intermediate crossbar with its ends turned at an angle to its body and perforated to receive the securing-bolts, and the bar or plate to which the snath ends of the fingers are secured and by means of which the fingers are adjusted, substantially as set forth.

5. In a grain-cradle, the combination, with a series of fingers secured at the proper distance apart by cross-bars connecting the scythe and border finger, of a stay and brace consisting of two branches diverging from a point of attachment near the snath to the opposite ends of a'loop in engagement with the snath end of the border finger, whereby the fingers are adj usted relatively to the snath, substantially as set forth.

6. In a graincradle, the combination, with the series of fingers secured by cross-bars to the scythe, the upper or border finger, and the snath, of a two-branch stay and brace secured at one end in adjustment toward and away from the snath, and at the other end to the border finger in lateral adjustment thereto, substantially as set forth.

7. In a grain-cradle, the combination, with IIO 9. In a grain-cradle, a series of metallic fingers extending through an intermediate semi- I 5 tubular crossbar, and provided with bends in that portion of their length lying between the sides of the crossbar, for the purpose substa-u tially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this 20 specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM BENJAMIN SMITH.

Witnesses:

J. D. MOCARTY,

THos. J. PEEPLEs 

